Motor Racing
ITM500 – Pukekohe Auckland 2014
The ITM 500, which is being held at Pukekohe Race Track in Auckland this ANZAC Sunday,
The ITM 500, which is being held at Pukekohe Race Track in Auckland this ANZAC Sunday, sees the fourth event of the 2014 V8 Supercars. 51 Thoughts was able to attend the drivers signing in Aotea Square just days before the event begun. 51 Thoughts was able to meet some of the seasons top drivers, amongst the drivers were Mark Winterbottom, Will Davison, Rick Kelly, Shane Van Gisbergen, and young Kiwi Volvo driver Scott Mclaughin.
At the beginning of the event, we saw FPR, Tekno, GRM, Nissan, and Erebus battle it out to see which team has the fastest crew, even the drivers got involved to! In the final showdown it was between FPR and GRM, GRM with speed and strength stole the victory out of FPR’s hands. This time we didn’t hear the “F” Bomb drop, which may have disappointed some Kiwi Volvo fans.
With the ITM 500 just around the corner, can Redbull pull through the rain? After Redbulls rough weekend at Winton, and replenish their form? After Mark Winterbottoms’ win at Winton, will he be able to keep his winning streak going this weekend to win the Jason Richards Memorial Cup? Last year Winterbottoms tyres were failing him through-out the race, and he saw zero victories. With current defending champion Jason Bright, being the biggest threat at the track, will Winterbottom make it through and see the top of the podium this weekend?
Will we see one of the New Zealand drivers, Shane Van Gisrbergen, Fabian Coulthard, and Scott Mclaughin succeed in gaining a victory on their home soil? All three drivers are in form at the moment, and all have a good chance at winning a race at the famed Pukekohe Raceway Track.
Friday we will be warming up the weekend with a 30 minute practice session, than there is a 15 minute break before a 20 minute qualifying session, followed by a whole 35 laps of racing. Saturday heats up with 30 minutes practice, two 10 minute qualifying races followed by two sets of 35 laps. On Sunday, as we head in to the final of the ITM 500, theres no more practice laps here, now we’re in to the serious racing where we see 20 minutes of qualifying racing, and the final 70 laps to end the weekend.
Will defending champion Jason Bright be knocked off 1st place this year?
